RADIO
Saturday brings about a split slate for DFS players, giving everyone double the fun and double the chances to win. The first six will make up the games starting between 1:05 pm and 2:07 pm, and the second six stretch from the 3:05 pm starts through to the 7:40 pm starts. This article will touch on useful options on both slates.
The biggest favorites on Saturday are the New York Yankees who are projected to blow away the Baltimore Orioles. However, that is reflected in the prices of their hitters, limiting how many of them you can realistically look to roster. On the later slate, the Dodgers are heavy favorites after they comfortably handled the Diamondbacks on Opening Day.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 3/30/19. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. You can also read more DFS advice and lineup picks for sites like FanDuel, and other sports too. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @benrolfe15.
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DraftKings DFS Starting Pitchers
Kenta Maeda, LAD (vs. ARI) - $10,100 (Late)
This is the only pitcher I feel strongly about on this slate. The Diamondbacks lineup is a shall of what it was in 2018 and Maeda has all the upside you need in a clear stud. Maeda did struggle with left-handed hitting last year, giving up a .348 wOBA, but he still managed to strike out over a batter per innings and his xFIP was only just over 4. Against right-handed hitters, he dominated with a .266 wOBA and a 33.6% strikeout rate. When the slate is this short on stud pitching, Maeda has to be your ace. For the second pitcher, I would ideally like to avoid Yu Darvish ($8,800) and the risk he brings pitching in Texas, but there is so little upside elsewhere that Darvish may have to be my guy, given the Cubs are favorites in that game.
Trevor Bauer, CLE (@ MIN) - $9,800 (Early)
With four aces on the early slate, you are picking hairs which one you take. Therefore, the theory here is that if all are likely to return similar value why not take the cheapest? That is not the only reason to take Bauer. The Indians right-handed pitcher is perfectly suited to taking on a Twins lineup which has an even balance of left- and right-handed hitters. Last season, Bauer had a K% right around 30% against hitters on both sides of the plate and gave up a wOBA below .265 against both. Target Field usually has a slight hitter-friendly lean but at this time of the year with the cold weather, it should benefit a pitcher who can dominate with his stuff.
Jakob Junis, KC (vs. CWS) - $8,100 (Early)
The early slate might be one where you look to ride with two studs, especially because the cheaper options are not great. However, Junis does offer some upside. His strikeout rates last season were solid (18% vs. RHP & 25% vs. LHP), and he had a walk rate below 7.5% against both. Both of those numbers should also see a bump being on the mound against a young team, who struck out more than anyone else in the majors last season. The slightly raised wOBA, especially against left-handed hitters (.339), is a concern, but pitching in Kansas City in late March should help keep the damage from home runs to a minimum. The key here for Junis is that he has solid strikeout upside, but the lack of walks should prevent him from giving up major damage.
DraftKings DFS Infielders
C - Francisco Cervelli, (PIT @ CIN) - $3,700 (Early)
I do not like paying up for the big-priced catcher in Sanchez so I am going to get a little funky and go for Cervelli instead. Cervelli put up solid numbers against right-handed pitchers last season, hitting for a .355 wOBA with a 125 wRC+. Add in an 11% walk rate, a 42.5% FB%, and a 17.5% LD% and you get an interesting picture in a hitter-friendly park.
C - Yasmani Grandal, (MIL vs. STL) - $4,000 (Late)
Catcher is less than ideal on the late slate. The two best guys are Grandal and Buster Posey but both are expensive to pair with Maeda/Darvish. However, Grandal is in a hitter-friendly park against a right-handed pitcher. Last season against righties, he had a .361 wOBA, a .240 ISO, and a 131 wRC+.
1B - Luke Voit, NYY (vs. BAL) - $4,500 (Early)
After his Opening Day performance, I am paying up for Voit until I see otherwise. Hitting in the cleanup spot sandwiched between Judge, Stanton, Andujar, and Sanchez is a very nice place to be. Add in that Voit had incredible success against left- (.301 ISO) and right-handed (.440 ISO) pitchers last year and there really is not much to be afraid of.
1B - Max Muncy, LAD (vs. ARI) - $4,300 (Late)
Muncy crushed right-handed pitching last season, putting up a .417 wOBA with a 169 wRC+ and a 17.5% BB%.
2B - Robinson Cano, NYM (@ WSH) - $3,700 (Early)
I debated sticking with Adam Frazier here because he had a lot of success against right-handed pitchers (Sonny Gray) last season. However, Robinson Cano $700 cheaper is impossible to pass up. Cano was better against left-handed pitchers in 2018, but he still posted a .350 wOBA, 127 wRC+ and a 20.5% LD rate against right-handed hitters.
2B - Ketel Marte, ARI (@ LAD) - $3,700 (Late)
Maeda has a slight weakness against left-handed hitters. Therefore, despite Marte not having as good a numbers against right-handed pitchers as lefties, I am banking that he can take advantage in the chink in Maeda's armor at this price.
3B - Anthony Rendon, WSH (vs. NYM) - $3,900 (Early)
I know he is facing Noah Syndergaard but how often do you get the chance to have a hitter of the quality of Rendon for under $4,000? Rendon was impressive against right-handed pitchers with a .383 wOBA, 140 wRC+ and a combined FB and LD rate of 65%. Those numbers give Rendon a great chance of returning value on his price in this slate.
3B - Travis Shaw, MIL (vs. STL) - $4,200 (Late)
I managed to get both Shaw and Muncy in my picks. Shaw has a nice matchup, in a hitter-friendly park and good numbers against right-handed hitters. Last season Shaw had a .285 ISO against right-handed pitching and a .249 ISO at home. When those two things combine it is a good time to use him.
SS - Jorge Polanco, MIN (vs. CLE) - $3,400 (Early)
Polanco was available for Opening Day and drew the start hitting second in the lineup. He also had a great 2018 against right-handed pitchers, returning a solid K% (17.4%), BABIP (.382), wOBA (.368) and wRC+ (132).
SS - Paul DeJong, STL (@ MIL) - $3,400 (Late)
His numbers against right-handed pitchers were not great last season (.333 wOBA and 110 wRC+). However, he is in a hitter-friendly park and his combined 66% LD and FB% should give him plenty of opportunities to produce points in DFS.
DraftKings DFS Outfielders
Yasiel Puig, CIN (vs. PIT) - $4,500 (Early)
Puig made up for his struggles against left-handed pitchers with his dominance against righties. Last season his wOBA of .390 and wRC+ of 150 were among the best in the league.
Corey Dickerson, PIT (@ CIN) - $4,50 (Early)
Much like Puig, Dickerson made up for his failures against left-handed pitchers by crushing righties. Dickerson was slightly less impressive, with a .248 wOBA and a 120 wRC+, but his 13.4% strikeout rate and 27.1% LD rate should mean he has plenty of opportunities to score points.
Brandon Nimmo, NYM (@ WSH) - $3,500 (Early)
Not a great Opening Day for Nimmo but that can happen against a pitcher of Max Scherzer's quality. His opponent Saturday, Stephen Strasburg, is good but not as good. Nimmo had impressive numbers of 16.7% BB%, .407 wOBA and 163 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers last season. Those numbers give him a great chance to bounce back in a big way against Strasburg.
Christian Yelich, MIL (vs. STL) - $5,100 (Late)
If you want a high-priced outfielder how do you pass up the one hitting in Miller Park, where he had a .331 ISO last season, and who had a .425 wOBA against right-handed pitchers last season?
Shin-Soo Choo, TEX (vs. CHC) - $3,900 (Late)
Choo was impressive against right-handed pitchers last season, putting up a .385 wOBA and a .208 ISO. Strangely, though he struggled for power at home with an ISO of just .129, but did manage a .366 wOBA, making him worth the risk at a decent price. At the same price is his teammate, Nomar Mazara, who crushed a monster home run on Opening Day and has solid numbers in Globe Life Park (.248 ISO, .353 wOBA).
Domingo Santana, SEA (vs. BOS) - $3,700 (Late)
His 2018 numbers were pretty bad but over the last three years, Santana has a .354 wOBA and 117 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. His LD% over that period has also been an incredible 30% and he backs that up with a solid 13.5% BB%.
